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Safety and Health Tips for Household Workers

Content

1 Getting to know your work environment 2

2 Daily works of a household worker 3

3 High risk works and preventive measures 3 • Window cleaning • Working at height • Using electrical appliances • Using chemicals

4 Other hazards and preventive measures 7 • Musculoskeletal disorder • Slips and trips • Cuts and slashes • Scalds and burns • Biological hazards • Stress

5 Personal hygiene 12

6 Correct use of personal protective equipment 14 • Respiratory protective equipment • Eye-shields / masks • Gloves

7 Conclusion 16

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In Hong Kong many families employ household workers to help with their household chores. While such chores may look simple and straightforward, various hazards and dangers are present in the home environment. Both the employer and the household worker must pay close attention to safety and health in carrying out household chores as any neglect may lead to accidents and injuries. This booklet highlights the key safety and health issues for household workers and the related precautionary measures to take.

1 Getting to know your work environment

Household workers are often required to work in different environments. They may not know about the conditions around their work environment well, such as the fire escape route, access and exit passageways, equipment such as ladders, electrical appliances and sockets etc. While employers are respons ib le for ensuring the safety and health of household workers, the household w o r k e r s s h o u l d g e t t o k n o w t h e i r work env i ronmen t , understand as well as observe work-related safety guidelines.

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2 Daily works of a household worker

A household worker is generally responsible for:

◆ Keeping the household neat and tidy: to clean and tidy up a household,

including the bathroom, floor, walls and windows, as well as to clean and polish furniture or car;

◆ Kitchen chores: to buy foodstuffs, prepare meals, clean

up the kitchen and wash utensils;

◆ Laundry: to wash, dry and iron clothes and do needlework as

necessary; to send and collect laundry for dry-cleaning;

◆ Infant and elderly care: To look after infants, change and wash

diapers and other clothing, to give children baths and meals and look after their activities, picking up and dropping off the children to school; to take care of the elderly, such as keeping an eye on them, helping them to take baths, keeping them company, taking them to medical treatment, and providing simple nursing care.

3 High risk works and preventive measures

Window cleaning

◆ Install secured window grilles as far as practicable and keep them closed while cleaning windows.

◆ Mus t s t and on f l oo r wh i l e cleaning windows without grilles.

◆ Must not stretch body out of windows.

◆ Must not lean against windows or window grilles.

◆ Use proper tools with long handle and hand string where necessary. Hand string should be tied onto household workers’ wrist in order to prevent the tools falling from height.

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Working at height

◆ Use a solid stepping stool when c leaning air-condi t ioner and changing light-bulb located above the head-level.

◆ Check whether the stepping stool is intact before use.

◆ Face the stepping stool when climbing up or down, gripping handrail with both hands to maintain a 3-point contact. Someone should assist to hold and stable the ladder.

◆ Never stretch the body to reach spots on either side of the ladder. Move the ladder to the right position instead.

Using electrical appliances

Vacuum cleaner, microwave, electric kettle and other electrical appliances are used frequently for household chores. If they are broken or used improperly, accidents may be caused by electric shock or fire.

Preventive measures◆ Before use, check whether the electric wires are damaged

or tangled and whether the plug is in good condition.

◆ Use the nearest wall-mounted socket to avoid extending the wire to reduce the chances of damaging the wire through stepping over it.

◆ When unplugging, grip the plug and never pull the wire. Never do it with wet hands.

◆ All electrical installations, connections and repairs must be carried out by qualified electricians.

Using chemicals

Pipes in the kitchen and those for washbasins, drains and toilet basins in the lavatory may be blocked and require clearing. Drain clearing agents commonly sold in the market are either concentrated acids or concentrated alkalis in either liquid or

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powder form, and direct contact with them will cause burns or erosion in the skin. The drain clearing agents may also chemically react with the blocking substance, emitting toxic gases. Meanwhile, bleaching liquids also react chemically with acids and release toxic gases causing poisoning. Hence, the place where they are used should be well-ventilated. Never use an excessive amount of pipe clearing agents or mix it with other cleaning agents, so as to avoid chemical reactions. If the blockage is serious, a professional technician should be hired to do the drain clearing.

Chemicals are of ten used for housework, such as detergents, solvents, bleach, insect icides and the like. In general, these chemicals are potential hazards and any improper use would affect health or lead to accident.

◆ Detergents or cleaning agents are harmful to human skin, making the skin dry and blistering that easily lead to infection and inflammation.

◆ Bleaching liquid contains sodium chloride that is irritating or corrosive to the skin, causing skin allergy, inflammation and even chemical burns. Mixed with liquid acid, the bleaching liquid will react chemically to release toxic gases.

◆ Insecticides can kill bugs but is hazardous to human health, depending on the toxicity, the quantity inhaled and the way it penetrates into human body. Moreover, insecticide is also hazardous in other aspects such as causing fire, explosion and corrosion.

Chemicals can enter human body in three ways: swallowing, skin absorption and inhalation.

Through inhaling

Contact through the skin

Through swallowing

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Health hazards caused by chemicals after contact or entering the body include:

◆ Skin - burns, itch, allergy, dryness and inflammation.

◆ Eyes - burns, redness and swelling, tears or blindness in extreme cases.

◆ Respiratory system - irritation will cause c o u g h i n g , t h e respiratory tract and lung may also be affected.

◆ Nervous system - headaches, dizziness and dumbness.

◆ Other organs - l iver and kidney functions might be affected.

Preventive measures◆ Before using any chemical,

read the label on the container carefully that states its potential hazards. Keep it away from fire.

◆ Follow the method of use and safety measures recommended by the manufacturer.

◆ Do not mix it with other sterilizers or cleaning agents arbitrarily.

◆ S tore the chemicals in a shaded, cool, dry and well ventilated place.

◆ Cover the container securely.

◆ Ensure good ventilation at the area of work.

◆ Do not smoke in the work area.

◆ Wear proper personal protective gear such as gloves, goggles and apron etc.

Detergents

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◆ Wash hands, arms and face immediately after work or before eating or drinking.

◆ Notify the employer immediately if any problem arises.

Emergency measuresIn case of body contact with chemical, follow these emergency measures:

◆ Skin - Flush the skin with abundant clean water for at least 15 minutes. Take off the contaminated clothes.

◆ Eyes - Open the eye lid and rinse with slow-running clean water for at least 15 minutes. Avoid splashing the uncontaminated eye while rinsing.

◆ Mouth - Rinse the mouth with plenty of water.

◆ Inhalation - Open the windows and turn on the exhaust fan. Leave the area where the chemical is being used.

◆ Seek medical assistance if required.

4 Other hazards and preventive measures

Musculoskeletal disorder

Household chores often involve frequent and repetitive movements. Any inappropriate physical exertion or improper posture during work under the following circumstances is likely to cause musculoskeletal disorders, leading to back pain, shoulder pain or pain in knee.

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◆ Crooking the arm to support or hold an elderly or a child;

◆ Moving furniture;

◆ Window-cleaning;

◆ Vacuuming, scrubbing and waxing the floor.

Preventive measures◆ Adopt proper posture for lifting and carrying objects.

Avoid frequent and repetitive movements.

◆ Stand as close as possible to the object before lifting.

◆ Squat down with one foot closer to the object and the other foot slightly behind. Keep the back straight.

◆ Grasp the object tightly and close to the body. Stand up slowly by using the legs, keeping the back straight.

◆ Use smooth, steady movements when lifting and never jerk the object up. Turn with the feet, not the waist.

◆ Keep the back straight when propping up a person or when sweeping the floor. Avoid twisting or bending the waist, or overstretching the body.

◆ When propping up or holding up an elderly or a child, speak to them often to ensure coordination of postures of both parties.

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◆ Use tools with long handles in housework such as sweeping. Avo id l ean i ng f o r ward o r overstretching the body.

◆ Use electrical appliances for housework such as vacuuming and floor-waxing to minimize the time in squatting or kneeling down. Use knee pads if possible.

◆ Do some stretching exercises before work or during rest breaks.

Slips or Trips

One of the most common causes of accident at work is slipping on wet floor or tripping on electrical wire or other objects.

Preventive measures◆ Clear the unnecessary objects in working area.

◆ Use the nearest wall-mounted socket to avoid extending the wire too much or across passageway.

◆ Wipe away any water or spillage on the floor immediately. Keep the floor clean and dry at all times.

◆ Put anti-slip mats at the entrance to the kitchen and washroom to prevent slipping when walking with wet feet or shoes.

Cuts and slashes

Cuts and slashes are common accidents in kitchen chores, mainly due to improper use and handling of knives.

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Preventive measures◆ Knives should be kept sharp and in good condition.

◆ Use the right knife for different cutting purposes.

◆ Cutting in the correct way can avoid accidents, for example, by holding the handle tightly when cutting.

◆ Knives should be used for cutting and slicing only and not for other purposes such as opening a can.

◆ Cutting should be carried out on a cutting board and on a firm work surface.

◆ Keep the work surface and floor clean and tidy to facilitate cutting works.

◆ Do not leave the knife on the table near to the edges or with its cutting edge facing outward. Place it back in a proper knife-rack after use.

◆ Do not try to catch or stop a falling knife.

◆ Knives should not be washed together with other utensils, dishes and bowls to avoid any accidental cuts while washing.

Scalds and burns

There are many hot utensils and food in the kitchen. Carelessness may cause burns and scalds easily. Boiling or hot material must be handled with care.

Preventive measures◆ Ensure that the handle of any cooking pots and pans

should not stick out in the passageway and not be right above a burning cooker.

◆ Adjust the flame to a suitable level to keep it from getting too strong.

◆ Be careful when checking on food being heated or cooked under high temperature to avoid scalding by steam. For example, use a pair of insulated gloves to handle hot container. Remove the container cover gently on the far side and away from the body.

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◆ Foodstuffs should be kept dry before deep frying to avoid splashes of hot oil.

◆ Never rush around while bringing out steaming hot food. Watch out and a le r t anyone nearby to avoid bumping into the hot food and being scalded.

Biological hazards

Through housework, it is possible to be exposed to various kinds of biological hazards, such as virus, germs, fungi and parasites. The pathogens usually enter the human body through the respiratory tract or through contact with the body fluids of the infected. Contact with contaminated objects may also cause infection. Biological hazards can be categorized into three types: infection, allergy and poisoning.

Preventive measures◆ Pay at tent ion to hygiene

when looking after children or the elderly. In particular, wash hands t ho rough ly after handling excrement. Contaminated objects should be disposed of in a covered rubbish bin properly.

◆ Extra precaution is required when cleaning up vomit and excrement. Use the full set of personal protective gear (mask, gloves, apron and eye-shields) when necessary. Make sure to use a mask properly.

◆ Protect yourself when taking care of invalids suffering from fever, vomit or diarrhea. Wear a mask and gloves if necessary and wash hands thoroughly after work.

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◆ Mind your personal hygiene while taking care of pets. Wear a mask or gloves.

◆ If you are allergic to pets, discuss this with the employer and minimize contact with the pets.

Stress

S t r e s s c a n b e i n d u c e d easily by having to finish household chores within a short period, long working hours, insufficient rest and isolation from the family and community. Health may thus be affected.

Preventive measures◆ Discuss with the employer

for reasonable workload and working hours.

◆ Talk and communicate wi th your fami ly and friends to maintain your family and social circles.

◆ Learning how to relax is a good way to relieve stress.

◆ Seek professional assistance if you feel overwhelmed by stress.

5 Personal hygiene

◆ Washing hands is the simplest and most primary method to avoid bacterial infection, but it is also often neglected. Wash hands when finishing work, after going to the lavatory, after touching respiratory excretion, and also before cooking, having meals or touching the face.

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The correct way to wash hands

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Put some soap on the hands. Rub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Rub all the fingers, the palms, back of the hands, insides of fingers and wrists.

Rinse under running water. Dry hands completely with dryer or paper towels.

◆ Maintain healthy personal habits. Cover your nose when sneezing or coughing and then wash your hands with liquid soap.

The correct way to wash hands

Fo r t ho rough c l ean ing , remove any watch, r ing or jewelry before washing hands.

Wet the palms and wrists.

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How to wear a N95 mask

6 Proper use of personal protective equipment

Respiratory protective equipment

◆ Dust mask - to prevent inhal ing ai r -borne dus t particles when dusting.

◆ Surgical mask - to prevent pathogens transmitted through respiratory droplets.

◆ Respirator - use a suitable respirator when excessive chemical vapour may be inhaled.

Regardless of the type of respiratory protective equipment used, it is most important to wear it properly. The proper way to wear a dust mask or a surgical mask is illustrated.

Choose a mask with the size that fits your face. Pull two head bands loose. Make sure the metal strip is on top. Insert one hand through the head bands and hold the mask.

Put on the mask, cover the nose and mouth. Next pull the head bands one by one over the head. The lower head bands should be pulled over the head and down to the back of your neck. The upper one should be above the ears.

Press the metal strip on both sides with the fingers of both hands and check to make sure it fits snugly

Note: For the masks with valves, check them according to the instruction of the manufactures.

Check:Positive pressure checking: cover the mask gently with both hands. Breathe out deeply. No air should be escapes from the edge of the mask.Negative pressure checking: cover the mask gently with both hands. Breathe in deeply. The centre of the mask should cling to the face.

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How to wear a surgical mask

Eye-protectors or face shield

◆ Safety goggles protect the eyes from chemicals or respiratory droplets.

◆ Safety spectacles prevent flying debris from getting into the eyes.

◆ Protect the face with a face shield if necessary.

◆ Wash and clean face shield, goggles or spectacles regularly.

◆ Check the eye-protectors regularly. Replace them if they become out of shape, cracked, scratched or foggy.

Note: Try not to touch the mask once it is worn over the face in order not to reduce its protection. If it is necessary to handle the mask, hands must be washed before and after touching the mask.

Under normal circumstances, a surgical mask should be changed daily. Replace the mask immediately if it is damaged or soiled.

Put the mask over the face, with the metallic strip at the top.

Place the strings behind the ears .

Gently press the metallic strip over your nose.

The mask should cover from the nose to the chin and fits snugly over the face.

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Gloves

◆ Use chemical safety gloves for protection of hands when contacting chemicals.

◆ Gloves should f i t snugly but should not restrict movement or affect the sensibility.

◆ Keep the nails short to avoid pricking.

◆ Wash hands thoroughly before and after use.

◆ Check if there is any puncture before use. To do it, you may roll up the bottom of the glove to see if it can perfectly trap the air inside (see diagrams below). A punctured glove should be replaced immediately. (Warning: Do not blow the glove directly to avoid your mouth and nose having contact with it.)

All personal protective equipment should be correctly selected, used and maintained with due care. Re-useable protective equipments should be cleaned thoroughly before they are used again. Damaged items should be replaced immediately.

7 Conclusion

Household workers should pay at ten t ion to their occupational safety and health. Employers, supervisors and the workers should identify potential work-related hazards by assessing their work nature and environment, and take appropriate control measures to safeguard the safety and health of the workers.

An inflated glove means that the air is trapped inside and there is no puncture in it.

Fold the bottom of the glove and roll it up to trap the air inside.

香港北角馬寶道 28 號華匯中心 19 樓

19/F, China United Centre, 28 Marble Road,

North Point, Hong Kong

電話 Tel：2739 9377 傳真 Fax：2739 9779

電郵 Email：[email protected]

職安熱線 Hotline : 2739 9000

職安資訊傳真服務 SafeFax : 2316 2576

網址 Website : www.oshc.org.hk

OSHC HK

2018 Occupational Safety & Health Council 01/2018(01)

採用環保紙印製This is printed on environmentally friendly paper

ISBN 978-962-968-525-6

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